House Democrats pumped to govern

Come Jan. 3, party looks to "restore the democracy"

Lisa Mascaro Associated Press

Published
10:05 pm EST, Monday, December 10, 2018

In this Nov. 30, 2018 photo, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is joined by Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., at a news conference to discuss their priorities when they assume the majority in the 116th Congress in January, at the Capitol in Washington. While tea party Republicans swept to power to stop things -- repeal Obamacare, roll back environmental regulations and decrease the size and scope of government -- Democrats are marching into the majority to build things back up. And after spending eight downcast years in the minority, they cant wait to get started. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) less

In this Nov. 30, 2018 photo, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is joined by Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., at a news conference to discuss their priorities when they assume the majority in the 116th ... more

Photo: J. Scott Applewhite

Photo: J. Scott Applewhite

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In this Nov. 30, 2018 photo, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is joined by Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., at a news conference to discuss their priorities when they assume the majority in the 116th Congress in January, at the Capitol in Washington. While tea party Republicans swept to power to stop things -- repeal Obamacare, roll back environmental regulations and decrease the size and scope of government -- Democrats are marching into the majority to build things back up. And after spending eight downcast years in the minority, they cant wait to get started. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) less

In this Nov. 30, 2018 photo, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is joined by Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., at a news conference to discuss their priorities when they assume the majority in the 116th ... more

Photo: J. Scott Applewhite

House Democrats pumped to govern

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Washington

As House control is about to switch, it serves as a reminder about Democrats: They like government. And governing.

While tea party Republicans swept to power to stop things — repeal Obamacare, roll back environmental regulations and decrease the size and scope of government — Democrats are marching into the majority to build things back up. And after spending eight downcast years in the minority, they can't wait to get started.

Just ask Rep. Peter DeFazio. He's waited 32 years for his chance to become chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and has a highway and transit rebuilding plan at the ready.

"We've got a lot of corked-up energy," DeFazio said.

Democrats are set to take over the majority on Jan. 3, after capturing 39 Republican-held seats in the November election. But the post-election transition is already playing out in the Capitol, and highlighting a fundamental difference between the two parties, core to their political identities.

Democrats say the goal is not necessarily a return to big government or to quickly start impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump — but to reassert Congress' ability to govern, which they say diminished under Republicans.

The incoming chairman of the Rules Committee has drafted a new rules package — the first vote on Day One. It would require most bills to go to committees before a vote, a time-consuming process that shifts attention to the nuts-and-bolts of legislating. The first bill, H.R. 1, an ethics package, is well under way. And star freshman Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez already organized some two dozen co-sponsors for her "Green New Deal" infrastructure plan.

"We really do want to restore the democracy, make it work for people," said Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., who is leading the effort on H.R. 1.

"A lot of the tea party people arrived in Washington a few years ago with this mission of tearing government down," Sarbanes told AP in an interview. "You have Democrats arriving in this class who very much want to fix it, repair it, strengthen it, restore it."

The Senate will still be Republican-controlled next year, with Trump holding the veto pen in the White House, so it remains to be seen how much — if any — of the Democratic agenda will be passed into law.

But Democrats are pressing ahead, starting their agenda on the premise that Americans have grown cynical of Washington, a finding backed up by polling. Trust in government is low and the sentiment is bipartisan, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 115,000 midterm voters nationwide conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago. Just 19 percent of midterm voters overall said they trust the government to do what is right at least most of the time. An overwhelming majority — 81 percent — said they trust government "only some of the time" or never.

Democrats say before they start tackling the big issues — lowering health care costs, rebuilding infrastructure — they have to earn back Americans' trust in government.

"If we are going to accomplish the bold, aspirational things that everybody wants in America, what we've heard from our constituents about, we have to have a government they can trust," said Rep.-elect Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, announcing the first bill that tackles new ethics requirements and disclosure of big money in politics. "This is the first step to building a government they can trust."